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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
The Best of 2020
Results from your votes for the best of planetary science and exploration in 2020.
Planetary Society Reacts to Loss of Arecibo Observatory Radio Telescope
Arecibo helped us explore the cosmos and our solar system, search for life, and defend Earth from potentially dangerous asteroids.
NASA and JAXA to Send Planetary Society-supported Sample Technology to the Moon and Phobos
PlanetVac, developed by Honeybee Robotics, is designed to be a reliable, flexible, low-cost sample collection technology.
How to stop microbes from hitching a ride to space
Learn about planetary protection for exploring other worlds and get caught up on the week’s space news.
A Goodbye, But Not Forever, From Emily Lakdawalla
After 19 years, Emily Lakdawalla is leaving The Planetary Society.
Could there be life on Venus?
Explore exciting news in the search for life beyond Earth, and take a trip down memory lane with our co-founder.
Planetary Society Grant Winner Discovers Large Near-Earth Asteroid
The kilometer-wide object won't hit Earth, but would cause global-scale devastation if it did.
Mars approaches Earth, and Earthlings dream of going to Mars
Looking back into space and time, and looking forward to mission milestones and new endeavors. All this and more in your weekly space digest.
Planetary Society Grant Winners Deal with Delays, Hunt Asteroids, and Discover Comet
Every 6 months, we ask our recent Planetary Society Shoemaker NEO Grant winners for a progress report. Here's what they told us.
Perseverance Rover Scientists Make Plans for Mars
As the launch of NASA's Perseverance rover approaches, scientists for the Mastcam-Z instrument prepare for the rover's science activities.
Perseverance Microphones Fulfill Planetary Society Campaign to Hear Sounds from Mars
The first Mars microphone, sponsored by The Planetary Society, flew aboard NASA's Polar Lander spacecraft, which crashed on the Red Planet in 1999.
LightSail 2 Enters Extended Mission Phase
One year after launch, The Planetary Society’s solar sail spacecraft is embarking on an extended mission dedicated to further advancing solar sailing technology.
Your Impact: June 2020 Solstice
We're celebrating a successful Day of Action in Washington D.C., remembering SETI@home, and looking forward to LightSail 2's extended mission.
Our Commitment to Work Against Racism
Many of us are having a hard time looking up right now. It’s a painful moment. We here at The Planetary Society recognize we must do more to support Black people, including Black people who love space.
Visiting Perseverance During Its Final Week at JPL
An undergraduate physics research student describes her visit to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to see the Perseverance rover before it shipped to Florida for launch.
Ten New Pictures from LightSail 2
Images from around the globe, plus some night pictures and the spacecraft's solar panels.
Here's How Scientists Mapped the Perseverance Rover's Landing Site
The maps will help plan scientific field trips for the rover as it explores an ancient river delta.
Your Impact: March Equinox 2020
Celebrating Shoemaker Grant winners, Society awards, and volunteer efforts around the world.
161 meetings. 115 members. 28 states. 1 Day of Action.
More than one hundred Planetary Society members from near and far advocated for space science and exploration in Washington, D.C. on 10 February 2020.
Here's What We've Learned So Far from LightSail 2
A new paper recaps mission events, discusses solar sail performance, and describes how the spacecraft's orbit has changed.